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Topic: New JD Review: VTSC Luke X-Wing Pilot (Read 1744 times)

This week around we're taking a look at yet another figure in the Vintage Saga Collection line. Click the image button for the full review, and share your thoughts here...

Me, this is what pilots (and army builders in general, which I semi-classify Luke in) are all about... Super articulation, removable helmets, lots of weapons... Well, maybe that last part isn't the norm, but on Luke it was a nice surprise that Hasbro gave you three weapon accessories to go with him. And a hilt to clip to the belt is never a bad thing for a Jedi even if it's not even something you see in the film (in this pilot outfit anyway).

Hasbro knocked a figure out of the park with this one... THere's flaws, don't get me wrong. The paint on mine is piss poor really, and who doesn't want some grime on that helmet? But overall Hasbro has another winner... But for $10+?

Well, I'm not TOO upset with the price but I really wish this is what we got in the basic line ALL the time, not just sporatically when they know they can sell an army to us. Would it really hurt? I mean it's not like you can't re-use this Luke's parts almost entirely to make MORE figures and save cash...

Anycrap, if you don't own Luke get him because he's pretty perfect. That group shot Jared supplied at the end of my review is PERFECT representation of this figure. Luke now doesn't look like a swizzle with his flightmates, but he doesn't look like a buff roided out freak either... He looks PERFECT, and that's what we want. Perfect...

The thing about the leg stance for me that makes it completely acceptable is that it can be boiled/froze in place if you REALLY wanted to, and on top of that the knee's poseability lets you basically give him a non-wide stance just fine. NOthing major then to me.

The boil/freeze is a customizing thing for those of you who don't know... You boil the figure in boiling water, but have a bowl of ice water nearby (like a large cereal bowl). You pull the figure out of the boiling water, dry it quickly, then hold the legs in the "straight" position by basically pressing the thighs and dunk him in the ice water. HOLD the figure under ice water for a while. It's hard on the arthritis, but plastic can take shape when heated and cooled quickly, including the PVC material used on Hasbro figure limbs/heads (and sometimes other parts, as it's a cheaper plastic to work with).

This technique doesn't always work 100% but it's pretty reliable. I'm 99% sure it'd work on Luke for those wanting to give it a go. Just watch you don't get burned by the water... Always care you must use.

About the Hoth duds...

Anton's right in that it's not applicable because LUke's X-Wing uniform for the vintage figure was just that, his XW uni... He's classically pictured in Yavin Hangar mode not Hoth...

While I'm all over a new SA Hoth "Snowspeeder" Luke Pilot figure, it's not gonna fly for this line of Vintage copies I don't think. Still though I'll gladly take that Snowspeeder Luke figure if he's SA, has a working holster and stuff. Be cool if he had the grappling hook accessory too, done to-scale and hookable to his belt with his saber hilt.

Hoth Pilots are sorely overlooked... No good sculpt exists for them yet and Luke, Dak, Zev, Wedge, Hobbie, and Janson are all great candidates for figures if you ask me. Hobbie could even include damaged head variant with blood and stuff.

There's big differences in the Hoth flight suit and ANH/ROTJ Suits. Namely, the Hoth pilots had a heavy weight jacket on that looked exactly like POnda Baba's over their orange jumpsuits. It had a big thick collar on it and was a little shorter length though. And of course they had cold weather boots on instead of the little black boots seen in use by Rebel Troopers and Pilots on Yavin.

The joint on mine has these plastic bits that sort of help it stay in a pose. I could see it being loose though for sure Diddly, I just didn't experience it with mine. I don't have a 2nd to compare... yet. I'll make sure and drop a note here if I experience it with another figure though when I get one... I think I have a case on the way from Newforce.

I know mine's not as fluid for posing as other ball/socket torsoes, but it's not bad either. It holds its poses. I could just be lucky in that though.

A Hoth X-wing suit update would be awesome!Another great review Jesse I agree 100%

I've have been wanting some decent, non-buff snowspeeder pilots forever. Now that there's a picture posted of the new Target exclusive Rogue Two Snowspeeder with Zev, I'm excited again to start seeing some. I don't even mind the lack of articulation, though I guess it's always remotely possible that he has some knee articulation.

As far as Luke goes, I already have 2. I'd probably buy more to do head swaps if Luke wasn't that much shorter than everyone else. Great review again, Jesse. I may have to try the boil -n- freeze method. I'll have to watch ANH again... without seeing it, I think I like the dirty helmet that came with the last Luke W-Wing.

For the record, it seems he is gonna have knee joints Obi-Dad. Check the thread in the Saga Collection forums for this ship/figure, but I do believe what others have spotted, that his legs are those of "Gold Leader" (as is his torso). That's good news to me... The arms blow, but at least for a pack-in it's not too bad.

Still want new Snowspeeder figures with better articulation put out in the basic line... Wedge, Luke, and I'd like a Dak figure personally.

Thanks for the comments man, I appreciate it. VTSC Luke's legs/arms may be useful for customs even if the figure is a tad short. The torso seems to be where a lot of the height loss is, so poseable arms/legs are always good on any pilot.